San Diego: A resort for all seasons

The city of San Diego is California's most southern metropolis and stands out with visitors for its year-round sunshine and wealth of outdoor activities. But the county

By car, San Diego is just an hour south of Orange County on the I-5 in off-peak times and is an easy and pleasant drive that passes the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton, the Del Mar Fairgrounds and scenic viewpoints along the coast. Those headed to the business centers of Mission Valley or Qualcomm Stadium will veer onto the I-805 just before La Jolla. But we'll continue into downtown.

Visitors to San Diego can explore Spanish missions, Indian lands, 27 miles of coastline or U.S. Marine and Navy installations. They can visit a mountain mining town, enjoy rural lakes and agricultural centers or cross the border into Tijuana, Mexico-just a short drive from downtown San Diego.

In recent years, San Diego has become one of the most popular meetings destinations in the country, a Travel + Leisure magazine poll recently declared San Diego No. 1 among the country's most popular destinations for summer travel, outdoor activities and special events, and Hispanic magazine named it the best city for Hispanics.

So what's the draw?

Start with the coastline, a major harbor (called the "Big Bay"), a vibrant downtown that has been reinventing itself for the past decade and Balboa Park, one of the country's largest urban parks. Add in a couple dozen museums (many of them at Balboa Park), the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, Sea World and a plethora of event venues and it's hard to imagine anyone being able to resist its attractions.

San Diego is home to 18 four- and five-star and diamond resorts. And visitors can choose among urban, rural, coastal golf resorts, spas and desert settings.

Since completing a convention center expansion in 2001 that doubled its size to 1.6 million square feet, the bay front downtown convention center has brought almost $900 million into the local economy through events at the center.

There are about 8,500 hotel rooms within a mile of the convention center. Just across the street is the Victorian-style Gaslamp Quarter, the historic heart of the city that now houses almost 100 restaurants, plus retail shops and nightclubs. Favorite eateries include the likes of Dakota Grill, the Martini Ranch and the Bitter End. Middle Eastern, Asian and even Russian restaurants also dot the district.

The combination of lodging, dining, entertainment and retail within a compact area make the city a vibrant destination for locals and visitors alike. A convenient trolley system-one of the few successful such ventures in the country-helps visitors get around to Old Town, Mission Valley and other points of interest.

Just a short walk from the Convention Center is one of the area's downtown jewels-the Manchester Grand Hyatt-which will complete an expansion tins summer. The expansion will make it a self-contained mini-city capable of handling major group events while still catering to the leisure guest. On the bay adjacent to the Cape Codstyle Seaport Village, the Manchester Grand Hyatt gives visitors a resort expertence in an urban setting. You can even hold a sailing regatta right behind the hotel.

When complete, the 34-story Manchester Grand Hyatt will be the tallest waterfront building on the West Coast and will have the biggest room count-more than 1,600 rooms-in Southern California.

One of San Diego's most famous landmarks is the National Historic Landmark Hotel del Coronado-one of the first resorts in the area that dates back more than 100 years. During Prohibition, many Hollywood celebs discovered the resort and used it as a base from which they could hop down to Tijuana to purchase liquor and bet on horses. Celebrity spotting is still a favorite pastime today.

Two other resorts-Loews Coronado Bay and the Marriott Resort Coronado Island-join the "Del" in providing a secluded getaway location on Coronado just a short ferry-ride from downtown. Loews is in the midst of a $4 million expansion expected to be complete this year.

One of the great attractions of San Diego is the proximity of many of venues to the airport and the bay.

Just north of the airport is Mission Bay, with its own string of resort properties like the Hilton San Diego Resort and San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. Other resorts like the 50-year old Bahia, the Catamaran and Paradise Point front the bay. The Bahia Belle-a 19th century-style paddle wheeler-plies the waters of the bay and is available for special events.

Meeting attendees in particular like to be close to the beach and ocean for after-session leisure time. And places like the nearby Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography make for stellar special event venues.

A few miles up the coast you'll find La Jolla, home to the legendary Torrey Pines Golf Course. The Hilton Torrey Pines is perched at the edge of the course, while the new five-diamond Lodge at Torrey Pines sits on the course at the 18th hole.

The Craftsman-style Lodge opened last year and has been well received by the group market as well as golfers and leisure guests.

"With the hotel on the course, the renovation of the course and the USGA designation, people are becoming reacquainted with Torrey Pines," said Steve Pelzer, executive vice president of Evans Hotels, which owns the property. Torrey Pines was recently selected as the site for the 2008 U.S. Open golf tournament. Pelzer said interest in the course has increased since the announcement.

"People want to play a USGA course," he said.

La Jolla has a diverse mix of resort-style properties that also include the Hyatt Regency La Jolla-a majestic property well suited to groups-as well as the boutique-style La Valencia.

In North San Diego, Carlsbad has led the way in becoming a resort destination. Still relatively small with a charming village feel, the city is home to Legoland, the Flower Fields and the Museum of Making Music-a walk through the development of music and instruments in the U.S.

One of the earliest Carlsbad resorts was La Costa-still home to many a golf and tennis tournament, including the upcoming Acura Tennis Classic at the end of this month.

La Costa is in the midst of a $50 million makeover that includes the addition of a new clubhouse, spa and fitness facility and a 42,000-square-foot conference center.

The Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad is popular with both business and leisure guests who enjoy the spa, golf and tennis-and the award-winning restaurant, Vivace.

Just down the road in Del Mar, visitors can enjoy thoroughbred racing at the Del Mar Racetrack in season and then retreat to L'Auberge Del Mar for its European spa treatments after a full day.

Inland San Diego has become a unique gaming Mecca with the development of several major Indian gaming resorts. Southern Californians have flocked to these resorts as a closer alternative than Las Vegas. And meeting planners like the ability to use them as an off-site excursion, for a spouse program or as a meeting site that caters to the appeal of gaming without the crowds often found in Las Vegas.

Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino opened early this year on the 7,000-acre reservation of the Barona Band of Mission Indians east of downtown San Diego. Its 18-hole golf course, Hill-service Golf Events Center and signature Barona Oaks Steakhouse have made it a draw already.

The Pala Casino in rural San Diego is adding a 507-room luxury hotel with a 10,000-square-foot spa slated to open late this summer and the Viejas Casino has revamped its DreamCatcher showroom to accommodate state of the art lighting and sound.

Harrah's made news in 2001 when it became the first mainstream gaming company to enter into an agreement to operate on Indian lands. They partnered with the Rincon San Luiseno Band of Mission Indians to develop Harrah's Rincon Casino and Resort in Valley Center-a rural portion of East San Diego. Though it only opened last year, a $13 million expansion is underway that will add a 22,500-square-foot multipurpose events center. Just down the road, groups can picnic at Bates Nut Farm in Bell Gardens.

A few miles north of the county line in Temecula, the four-diamond Pechanga Resort & Casino and Temecula Creek Inn provide all-in-one locations just minutes from Temecula's wine country and Old Town.

But those who seek peaceful quiet and stellar weather at inland resorts have the likes of Rancho Valencia and Rancho Bernardo to choose from.

Rancho Valencia-a Spanish-style villa-was named one of the top 10 tennis resorts by Tennis Magazine last fall. Its Spa features a movement studio with yoga, dance and fitness classes and massages using fresh ingredients indigenous to the area in its oils.

Rancho Bernardo Inn has just added a new Camp RBI on weekends so kids can enjoy sports basics, science classes and other activities while mom and dad kick back at the spa or relax in their patio Jacuzzi.

On the eastern edge of the county-perched between urban San Diego and Palm Springs-is the Anza Borrego Desert, where the casita-style La Casa dell Zorro resort has been embraced by regional companies wanting business retreats not too far from home.

The Anza-Borrego Desert is increasingly hosting meetings that include astronomy, archeology and environmentally oriented programs like stargazing hikes or outdoor banquets.

"The clients can take over the property," said Bret Jarvis, a partner in Laguna Beach-based International Site Alliance

"They love that idea," he said.

Room rates in San Diego are competitive with other areas of Southern California, ranging from about $60 a night in the area south of downtown to a high of $187 in La Jolla-the most upscale sector of the city. Year-to-date, San Diego lodging has an overall occupancy of 71.89%. But many resorts offer weekend and/or mid-week packages and special event packages that make full-service resorts attractive for groups.